18 January 2013 16:45
Those who have seen a tapestry in a museum can probably remember that moment very clearly: the craftsmanship, the detailed images, the rich fabrics and the often impressive size of the historical tapestries. Antique Style web store does not offer tapestries as large as the masterpieces in most museums, but they are certainly as magnificent as they are gorgeous.
Flemish Tapestries
Our southern neighbours were the ones who laid the foundation for the tapestry industry in the Middle Ages. In the 14th century, Flemish cities started to devote themselves to the tapestry industry. It really started blossoming in cities such as Doornik, Brugge, Antwerpen, Brussel and Oudenaarde around the 16th century. Likewise, important production centres were founded in the Netherlands in Delft, Amsterdam and Gouda at the end of the 16th century.
Function
Monarchs especially liked buying tapestries and purchased them on a regular basis. This was partly because a tapestry could be moved around with ease: it can be taken from one residence to the other. The tapestry functioned as a kind of wallpaper: bare and cold stone castle walls were covered with a tapestry. Tapestries were also seen as a symbol of wealth, power, prestige and luxury.
Weaving techiques
Even though most tapestry weavers do not weave by hand anymore, the weaving of a tapestry, or Gobelin, is still a very precise and artistic affair to this day. Every possible design is created in an ingenious way and it is meticulously weaved with the help of a large range of coloured fabrics. The weaving of tapestries is done by craftsman, so the final product is of a high quality.
Themes
At Antique Style Web Store, there is are large selection of tapestries/Gobelins to choose from. All of them evoke a historical atmosphere and some historical figures even play an important part. Our collection harbours, for example, beautiful tapestries that display portraits of Marie Antionette and Sissi. Tapestries with romantic, exuberant gardens, which were loved by royalty in the Middle Ages, are also available online in this web store.
A tapestry is a timeless work of art that already proved its right to exist centuries ago. Decorative, warm and historical: a tapestry is a piece of jewellery for the wall. Tapestries can be found in the category ‘Gifts an Decorations’ and in the sub-category ‘Wall and Window Decorations’.